Laois support lauded by local farmer vying to lead Irish farmers

Ballinakill farmer Francie Gorman has lauded the County Laois farming community for its support during his ongoing campaign to become the next President of IFA.

Speaking to The Leinster Express / Laios Live, the former Chair of Laois IFA and current South Leinster Regional Chair had high praise for IFA members and the wider farming community from every corner of the county that have travelled with him on his canvass of farmers across Ireland.

Francie Gorman and his election opponent Martin Stapleton have been participating in a series of well-attended election debates throughout the country in recent weeks, including in Macroom, Carrick on Shannon, Goresbridge, Newmarket on Fergus, Mullingar, Athenry, Fermoy, Castlebar, Enniscorthy and Dungarvan.

The series continues in Tullamore, on Tuesday, October 24 ahead of the final debates in Navan and Cootehill this week and in Letterkenny next Monday.

Among the Laois IFA many members on the campaign trail have been Liam Delaney, John Joe Dunne, Maureen Ryan, Anne Maria Aird, Hugh Ryan, David Allen, Dan Allen, Henry Burns, Michael Knowles, Bernard Wheatley, Rory Doyle, Michelle and Michael Lalor.

“I am hugely heartened by the support I have received from the local community in Laois in recent months, without which I would never have been able to launch and sustain an election campaign," said Mr Gorman.

"It has become clear to me that the views of Laois farmers on the need for strong leadership of IFA are equally shared by farmers I am meeting the length and breadth of Ireland. I am also grateful for the significant support that I have received in IFA branches around the country”.

He was happy that he has connected with the younger generation.

“I am particularly heartened by the wonderful support I have received from younger farmers. A key weakness in Irish agriculture is the lack of involvement of young people in farming and IFA. I prioritised this issue in my four years as Laois IFA Chair through my support for the Young Farmer Development Groups and it will remain a key priority for me as President,” he said.

The need for an improved communications strategy by IFA has been at the forefront of recent debates, according to Mr Gorman.

"Ireland should be immensely proud of the growth of its agriculture sector in the half-century since it entered the EU in 1973,” he said. “Irish farming has a very positive story to tell, but it’s not getting through. IFA must play a stronger role in promoting this message and in communicating matters of importance to its members in a more effective and timely manner than it is currently being done," he said.

Mr Gorman spoke about the final push on the election trail.

“My priority over the remaining weeks of the campaign is to meet directly with as many IFA branches and individuals as possible in all four corners of the country. As I have learned throughout my career, nothing compensates for getting out and meeting farmers and hearing what they have to say about the current state of the agriculture sector and the issues that matter most to them.

“The primary issues remain farm income, late payments, CAP, the need for a properly funded aid package for tillage producers, supports for farmers in vulnerable sectors, nitrates, the environment, the requirement for enhanced supports to enable women to pursue careers in farming, and the need for improved communications within IFA,” he said.

Francie is a suckler beef and sheep farmer from Ballinakill in Laois and is married to Kay, with whom he has a son, Tom. Francie is the current South Leinster Regional Chair of the IFA.

For the first time, IFA members will receive their ballot paper in the post which they can either return it by post or cast their ballot at their branch AGM. The Presidential Election Count takes place on Tuesday, December 12th.

The Midlands leg of the hustings is scheduled for Tuesday, October 24 at the Tullamore Court Hotel. It is aimed at IFA members in Offaly, Kildare and Laois.